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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. spell — letters
  4. bound — tied together
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bound — obliged
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. spell — a short time
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bound — certain
  16. spell — magic
  17. chair — a leader
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bore — to drill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bore — to tire
  24. ruler — a monarch

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com